Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

Risk from exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans emitted from municipal incinerators

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6638720
;
Incineration of wastes seems to be one of the major sources of PCDDs and PCDFs (dioxins). Their prevalence and extreme stability in the environment, bioavailability and bioaccumulation in the biota and human adipose tissues and breast milk are of much concern. 2,3,7,8-TCDD is one of the most toxic chemicals known and has been found to have teratogenic and carcinogenic activities in animals. Exposure to TCDD can result in chloracne, general weakness, drastic weight loss, hyperpigmentation of skin, hirsutism, porphyria cutanea tarda, liver damage, changes in activities of various liver enzymatic levels, abnormal lipid metabolism, abnormalities of the endocrine and immune systems, and possible teratogenic effects in humans. Moreover, chronic bioassay data indicate that TCDD is one of the most potent carcinogens known. It promotes liver and skin carcinogeneses, and is an initiator for various target organs in rodent test systems. According to the classification system of IARC, the qualitative evidence for carcinogenicity of TCDD is considered to be sufficient in animals and inadequate in humans. Consequently, TCDD has been placed in IARC's 2B category. In the absence of chronic bioassay data on other PCDDs and PCDFs, several TCDD equivalent approaches have been proposed for risk assessment on other congeners or mixtures. The paper compares the various approaches.
Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH (USA). Office of Environmental Criteria and Assessment
OSTI ID:
6638720
Report Number(s):
PB-90-242363/XAB; EPA--600/J-87/516
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Environmental toxicology of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans
Journal Article · Wed Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1993 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States) · OSTI ID:6849046
Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in workers exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988 · American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (USA) · OSTI ID:5477854
Comparative analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-'p'-dioxin and dibenzofuran congeners in Great Lakes fish extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and in-vitro enzyme induction activities
Technical Report · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988 · OSTI ID:7018193

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
BIOASSAY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CARCINOGENESIS
DIOXIN
DISPERSIONS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INCINERATORS
LABORATORY ANIMALS
MAMMALS
MAN
MANAGEMENT
MIXTURES
MUNICIPAL WASTES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RISK ASSESSMENT
TERATOGENESIS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES